June 18, 2012

Sushi anyone?

It hit 75 degrees in San Francisco Saturday--clearly, a beach day. Once it hits 70, my kids melt right into puddles on the pavement. I'm not sure how our suburban neighbors in 100 plus degree summer weather tolerate the heat. So what's for dinner when it's so hot that no one feels like eating much?

The other day we had the perfect solution--sushi! My kids love making and eating sushi, and there's no oven required. Allow extra time for kids to help.

I am not going to claim to be a sushi expert--I'm far from it. But the basic sushi roll recipe is fairly simple, and best of all, free of the top 8 allergens.

If you've never tried sushi at home, it's helpful to have a rice cooker and bamboo rolling mat. Buy Japanese short grain rice, nori (roasted seaweed) sheets, and a sushi seasoning, like Mizkan Sushi Seasoning.

Step 1: Wash and cook sushi rice according to the directions.

Step 2: While the rice is cooking, prepare any fillings. I like to cook veggies like carrots, spinach, or asparagus, meats, or fish for the kids. Or better yet, use whatever leftovers you've got in the fridge for fillings to decrease prep time. Slice avocados, cucumbers, lettuce, baked tofu, or other favorites in preparation for rolling.

Kids can help cut, trim, or wash veggies or other fillers.

Step 3: Once the rice is cooked, scoop the rice into a big bowl and mix in sushi seasoning according to directions on the bottle. I usually add about half of the specified amount so it's not too sour for the kids, and maybe a bit of added sugar (for 5 T. of seasoning, I also added 2 T. sugar). Spread the rice out along the inside of the bowl and wait for it to cool to room temperature. To speed up the process, fan the rice.

Step 4: Cut a sheet of seaweed in two, and place it shiny side down on a bamboo roller. Wet hands and scoop about a cup of rice onto the nori. Spread gently and carefully, leaving about 1/2 inch at the far end of the nori to seal the roll. Wet the exposed strip of nori with water or rice seasoning to help seal the roll.

Step 5: Add fillings the length of the roll. If you want wasabi, put some on your finger and smear onto the rice from left to right in a straight line.

Here we used a whole sheet because I like a lot of seaweed. But if you used a half sheet, you'd have a lot less exposed nori.

Step 6: Roll sushi by pressing down firmly on the mat. Slice with a moistened sharp knife.

Most of the sushi disappears before it makes it onto the table, the kids have a blast making it, and the adults can have their sashimi if they want it.